DO you struggle to focus on simple tasks, feel tired every afternoon or even forget your own phone number? There are ways to lift the cloud.

We've all had those days when our brain just doesn't seem to work. We have difficulty focusing, concentrating or thinking straight. Instead we wander around in a mental mire of forgetfulness and vague confusion. If this occurs regularly (and isn't due to a hangover), you may be suffering from what I call "brain fog".

In severe cases, brain fog can have a significant detrimental impact on our mental health, affecting both our work and personal lives. Although not a recognised medical condition, there are numerous anecdotal reports of people suffering from the condition. And a tour of health sites on the net will turn up thousands of reports.

We now live in a world where we move less, eat more and have our brains bombarded with information on a scale that was unimaginable 40 or 50 years ago. The combination of poor lifestyle, email overload, increasing work demands and financial pressures all have negative and cumulative impacts on the mind.

For the brain to function well, it needs a steady supply of oxygen, blood and nutrients, as well as the right amount of stimulation, or arousal. The brain resembles a muscle. And if it's overworked, without sufficient recovery, its performance starts to deteriorate markedly.

If you're suffering from brain fog, here are the best things you can do to clear your mind:

+ Get moving

Physical activity provides much needed oxygen and blood flow to the brain. It stimulates the expression of hundreds of protective genes, and creates Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), which is necessary to grow new neurons and help them survive. BDNF also protects your mature neurons from damage from stress, environmental toxins, and even traumatic brain injury.

Aerobic exercise has been shown to increase brain volume and to improve memory, concentration and executive function (complex thought and planning ability).

Being sedentary, on the other hand, destroys your brain's vascular network, which is why Alzheimer's disease is now being called "type 3 diabetes" by some researchers.

The brain is also suffering the wear and tear of advancing years.Source: body and soul

+ Rest and recuperate

We're just beginning to realise the importance of a good nights' sleep for brain function. In some studies, sleep-deprived people were found to perform about the same on tests of cognition and driving simulators as those who had been drinking alcohol. People who are chronically sleep deprived show reductions in the size of some brain areas. Aim for a minimum of 7.5 hours per night and to really boost your brain, try mindfulness meditation.

At work, schedule in short breaks for every 90 minutes - go for a quick walk or drink some water, and breathe deeply for a couple of minutes. You'll find that this "brain break" will greatly increase afternoon productivity if practised regularly.

+ Stamp out stress

Stress is driven by two chemicals, dopamine and noradrenaline. Too little creates apathy and poor performance, whereas too much inhibits the brain's prefrontal cortex (the seat of reason, logic and attention) in a process known as excitotoxicity, where brain cells literally die from overstimulation.

Information overload causes over-arousal in the brain. And as US neurobiologist Amy Arnsten has pointed out, this can lead to ADHD-like symptoms due to poor performance of the prefrontal cortex.

Taking some time to relax can help replenish energy stores.Source: Getty Images

Tips to restore calm:

+ Catch your breath. Breathe slowly, exhaling for longer than breathing in. This will lower stress levels within one to two minutes.

+ Reappraise. Look for the silver lining in the situation, and focus on what you can control. This will bring your prefrontal cortex back online.

+ Work out. Build resilience to stress over the long-term by doing vigorous exercise. As well as burning up stress hormones, intense training creates heat-shock proteins that improve your defences against stress.

+ Go for a thyroid check. Hypothyroidism can induce symptoms similar to brain fog, as well as general fatigue, apathy and depression. The major causes of thyroid disorders are iodine deficiency, hormonal imbalance and autoimmune thyroid disease.

+ Check for metal toxicity. Although much less common, copper, mercury, and aluminium toxicity can have a serious impact on brain function. Consider getting a hair mineral analysis test from a reputable complementary medicine practitioner.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

The role that food plays in the brain is widely underestimated. Chemical messengers in the brain, known as neurotransmitters, are made from amino acids, which we mostly derive from what we eat. Omega-3 fats are crucial to optimal brain function, coating neurons and speeding up transmission, and a lack of omega-3s is associated with depression. As much as possible, avoid trans fats (which accumulate in synapses, impacting all brain communication), and saturated fats, which are known to destroy neurons.

What to eat: The best foods for the brain are found in a Mediterranean diet high in oily fish and nuts, avocado and olive oil (which are rich in healthy monounsaturated fats), and unprocessed carbohydrates such as oats, grainy bread and legumes.

What to avoid: Eliminate all soft drinks, minimise caffeine, processed carbohydrates and junk food, and never skip breakfast!

MOMENTARY MEMORY LOSS?

Suffer poor memory at that time of the month? Reseach has found that women with high baseline levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine get pushed over the edge during menstruation, negatively impacting memory and mood.

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